RAILWAY FATALITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3594, 30 January 1923, Page 28

RAILWAY FATALITY.

INQUEST AT WANGANUI. WANGANUI, January 23. Inquiry into the death of William Henry Newlands, railway surfaceman, who, while travelling on a jigger was run down and killed by an engine, was concluded to-day. The engine was travelling silently on the down grade through h3l cuttings, and Newlands had his back to the locomotive. The Coroner, Mr J. S. Barton, was of the opinion that the regulations were sufficient if fully carried out, but as often happened, there had been a slackening in the observance on the part of those whom they were designed to protect. He was of the opinion that something more might be designed to provide additional protection in future. The subject matter was technical, and required knowledge of a highly organised and specialised industry. The A.S.R.S. was represented at the inquiry, and the coroner considered that its interests and those of the public were sufficiently served by the fullness of the inquiry, and he considered it was not incumbent on him to include any finding or recommendation other than an open verdict.

A FALSE DECLARATION. SUMNER TRAGEDY RECALLED. AUCKLAND, January 22. The tragedy which occurred at Sumner (Christchurch) a year ago, when a woman and her daughter were found asphyxiated, was recalled by the appearance of the husband in the Police Court to-day. William Theodore Thompson, aged 38, who is now serving a sentence of two years’ reformative treatment for theft at Dunedin and three months’ imprisonment for false pretences at Whangarei, was charged with having made a false declaration to the Registrar of Marriages at Wellington in November, 1921. A detective gave evidence that Thompson admitted that he gave his name to the registrar as Edward Theodore Scott, as he had broken his probation and wished to hide his identity. The woman lie married was Janet Nelson. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed for sentence.